Motor-vehicle.



H. F. 84 C. A. DEPUE.

MOTOR VEHHILE,

APPLICATION FILED JUNE :2, 1916.

L fifi g, Iaiwtcd May 15, 191?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTORS H. 1? .UZPZ/ZI a A. DEFUL" ATTORNEY HERBERT a W a mwi-a w wrial on l is A d) '0 F. DEPUE AND CLARK A. DEP'UE, 02F MGVILL'E, KQWA.

MOTOB -VEHICLE.

To all whom it may concern,

Be it known that We, HERBERT F.-DEPUE and CLARK A. Dnrun', citizens ofthe United States, and residents of Moville, in the county of lVoodburyand State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMotonvehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to motorvehicles, and more particularly tothe driving and steering mechanism thereof.

The invention has for its primary object the provision in amotor-vehicle of improved means for driving both axles of the vehicle toincrease its tractive power.

Another object of the invention is the production in a motor-vehicle ofan improved construction wherein both axles are driven and also adaptedto turn laterally to guide the vehicle.

A further object of the invention is the production of an improveddriving and steering mechanism, designed for use with the usual type ofdifferential gearing and particularly adapted for driving and steeringboth axles of motor-trucks.

With these and other objects in view, the invention, consisting in theconstruction, combination and novel arrangement of parts, will be fullyunderstood from the following description, reference being had to theaccompanyin g drawings, which form a part of this application, and inwhich like characters of reference indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, of which,-

Figure 1 is a plan of a tractor chassis constructed and equipped inaccordance with the invention, the drive shaft being cut away and thedrive-gear housings shown in horizontal section on a plane coincidentwith the axis of the drive-shaft; Fig; 2 is a fragmentary rearelevation. of the rear truck; and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary frontelevation of the front truck of the vehicle.

Referring, now, to the illustrations, the main frame of the vehiclecomprises side members, 4, the front portions of which areinterconnected by cross members, 5.

The rear ends of the side members are interconnected and supported by atransversely disposed bolster, 8; and the front of the main frame issupported on a bolster, 'Z,

disposed longitudinally of the frame, and having its ends formed withjournals, 8,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 32 317,

Application filed June 12, 1916. Serial No. 535L509.

free to oscillate in hearings, 9, mounted under the cross members of theframe.

The center of each bolster is formed .with a cylindrical uprighthousing, 10,- supported by and alined coaxially with a cylinder, 11,formed on a differential gear case, 12, and free to tuft; on rollerbearings, 13, interposed between the two cylinders.

The gear case, 12, incloses the usual. differential gear, including abevel drive ring, 14:, and adapted to drive the axle shafts, rotatingwithin the axle housings, 16, and having secured thereto the t actionwheels, 1'1.

The bevel drive rings, 14%, are interm hed with bevel pinions, l8,carrie short drive shafts, 19, inclosed coaxially by the housings, 10,and 11, and journaled in roller-bearings, 20, retained by suitablebearing-cones, 21, inclesed by the housi s.

"r: 10, and entering the housings, iii.

The upper ends of the shafts, carry bevel-gears, 2'2, inclosed by eniaportions, 23, of the bolste housings, and driven by bevel-pinions, 24,mounted on the ends of the main drive-shaft, 25.

The rear journal of the hollow','and incloses, coaxially, the adj acentend portion of the main drive shaft, journaled in roller bearings, 26,retained b a cone, 27, formed in the bolster ad acent the housing, 10.

Rearward displacement of the rollen bearings, 26, is prevented by asleeve, 28, encircling the drive-shaft and inclosed by the journal ofthe bolster. Tue sleeve is provided with an annular flange, 29; whichembraces and is secured by screws, 30 or otherwise, to a similar flange,31, on the journaLof the bolster, which engages the rear side of theadjacent bearing 9. The said sleeve is provided with a. counter bore,32, to freely inclose the end of the torsiontube, 3?).

The rear end of the drive-shaft, 25. is journaled in roller bearings.34:, retained by a flanged bearing cone, 35, bolted or otherwise securedto the rear housing, 23, and freely inclosing the rear end of thetorsion tube.

The main-drive shaft is represented as being continuous, and providedwith a drive pinion, 35*.

The ends of each axle are pivotally connected by links, 36, with theopposite ends front bolster is and its housir and a different of theother axle, whereby the axles turn laterally in, unison.

3? represents the steering-gear shaft which is disposed transversely ofthe 1nain-' frame and has wound In opposite directions drive axleincluding an axle housing, a differential gear and its housing, abolster disposed longitudinally of the main frame and supported by thedifierential housing, the bolster being provided. with journals at itsends, hearings on thmain frame inclosing the journals, a drive shaftextending through one of'the journals, and a driving connection betweenthe shaft and said gear- 2. In a motor vehicle, a main frame, front andrear axles, each including an axle-shaft a differential-gear housing,gear inclosed thereby and having a bevel drive-ring, front and rearbolsters supporting the main frame and having intermediate partssupported by the (inferential-gear housings, upright shafts rotat-ablyincloseci by said parts, and upon which the latter housing-s are pioted, beve pinions on the lower ends said shafts and engaged with thedrive rings, bevelgears on the upper ends of said shafts, front bolsterbeing disposed longitudinally of the main-frame and provided at its endswith journals pivoted on the main-frame, the rear one of said j|ournalsbeing provided wlth an axial bore communicatino with said art a m 9main-drive shaft disposed longitudinally of the mainframe, and havingits front end masses portion inclosed by said bore, and bevelpinions onthe main drive-shaft engaged with said" latter 'gears.

3. In a motor vehicle, a main frame, front and rear axles, eachincluding an axle-shaft and its housing, a differential-gear housing,and a differentiaLgear inclosed thereby and having intermediate partssupported by the differential-gear housings, upright shafts rotatablyinolosed by said parts, .and upon which the latter housings are pivoted,bevel pinions on the lower ends of said shafts and engaged with thedrive rings, bevel-gears on the upper ends. of said shafts, the frontbolster being disposed longitudinally of the main-frame and provided atits ends with journals pivoted on main frame, the rear one of saidjournals being provided with axial bore communicating with said part,

a main-drive shaft disposed longitudinally of the main-frame, and havingits front end portion inclosed by said bore, bevel-pinions on the maindrive shaft engaged with said latter gears, links connecting the ends ofeach axle with the opposite ends of the other axle, a steering-gearshaft, flexible links wound in opposite directions thereon,

and connected with the respective ends of.

one of said axles, and means for controlling said latter shaft,including a worm-Wheel on the latter shaft and a steering-post'having aWorm engaged with the Worm-Wheel.

a. In a motor-vehicle, a main-frame, front and rear axles, front andrear bolsters sup" porting the main-frame and supported by the axles,one of said bolsters being disposed longitudinally of the main-frame andprovided with journals at its ends, bearings on the main-frame inclosingthe journals, a drive-shaft disposed longitudinally of the main-frameand rotatable coaxially Within one of said journals andvehicle-oropelling' mechanism Within the bolsters actuated by saidshaft.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands. a r

HERBERT F, DEPUE. GLAll-ITi A. DEPUE.

